Bruins know what Red Wings possess

The Bruins open the playoffs against the Red Wings on Friday night. The Wings are in the postseason for the 23rd straight year. Their style has worked very well for them.

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By Dan CagenDaily News staff

MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

By Dan CagenDaily News staff

Posted Apr. 17, 2014 at 8:42 PM
Updated Apr 17, 2014 at 10:09 PM

By Dan CagenDaily News staff

Posted Apr. 17, 2014 at 8:42 PM
Updated Apr 17, 2014 at 10:09 PM

» Social News

BOSTON — For years, Jarome Iginla was impressed with the Red Wings, like most were as Detroit won the Stanley Cup four times in 12 years. From his Calgary perch, Iginla experienced first-hand how hard it could be to score on their 'Grind Line' with Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby, or against nonpareil defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom.

Yet what stood out most to Iginla was the style of play, the numbing effect the Winged Wheels had on teams by cradling the puck and limiting turnovers.

The names and faces have changed, but they still have that style.

"There's definitely a lot of new pieces, their core has changed over the years," Iginla said. "They like to have puck possession. It's similar — good skating team, work hard. A lot of similarities, but yet, a lot of different guys."

The Bruins open the playoffs against the Red Wings on Friday night. The Wings are in the postseason for the 23rd straight year. Their style has worked very well for them.

Under coach Mike Babcock, the Wings play with pace, skill and structure. Defensemen Jakub Kindl, Brendan Smith, Kyle Quincy and Niklas Kronwall are taught to get the puck out quickly. Putting passes on a forward's stick for a breakout in stride is emphasized. A puck not controlled around the red line is a failure.

From there, the forwards do their work. Babcock instructs them to carry the puck over the blue line rather than dump and chase. In the offensive zone, playmakers Daniel Alfredsson, Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen, Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist go to work exploiting weaknesses.

The Bruins will have to move their feet to stick with them.

"I think structurally we have to be good, we have to be skating," Gregory Campbell said. "Our skating game is underrated. Their skating game is good, but ours is good as well. Making sure we're always above the puck, coming back hard. I know Detroit's a good team with back pressure and coming back as well, that's important too."

The Bruins saw firsthand how quickly the Wings can fly. In their April 2 meeting, Carl Soderberg failed to get the puck deep from the offensive blue line. Datsyuk took the puck off his stick and knocked it over to Nyquist, who burst the other way, zipped around Zdeno Chara and beat Tuukka Rask for the winning goal.

"Their forwards are always looking to turn up and have numbers as well, so it's important for us [forwards] to help the 'D'," Campbell said.

The Red Wings' best attribute this season has been overcoming injuries. Center Henrik Zetterberg has been out since February back surgery and may not play in this series. Datsyuk missed March with a knee problem. Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson had surgery last month for a torn tendon in his hand, and skated Thursday for the first time in a month. Daniel Cleary hasn't seen game action since January.

Page 2 of 2 - Youngsters Tatar and Nyquist stepped up to secure a playoff spot, while Kronwall had his best season while becoming a No. 1 defenseman.

"They have had a lot of changes in their lineup, but these guys have come in and done really well," Campbell said. "I think that speaks to the coaching staff and the system they have in Detroit. It's amazing, they just keep winning and they keep having success and it's just because of the way they play. They find players that fit into that system and play that way."

Detroit's style can give the Bruins fits. The Wings went 3-1-0 against the Bruins this season, the only team to beat Boston in regulation three times. The Bruins want to attack and press; the Red Wings can pass and move quickly. Detroit shares tenets with the Blackhawks, whose speed gave the Bruins fits in the latter half of last spring's Stanley Cup Final.

Still, the Bruins should have the upper hand in the series. The Presidents' Trophy winners are relatively healthy, have three scoring lines and the better goalie. Detroit will match its third-pairing defensemen of Kindl and Brian Lashoff on Soderberg's line, which could spark a Boston bonfire.

"They're in the playoffs because they're a good team," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "That is the respect that you give them but that doesn't mean you go out there and play on your heels and play on the end of your stick because you have a respect for them. It just means you have to be ready."

Dan Cagen can be reached at 508-626-3848 or dcagen@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanCagen.